robbalvey Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Lately we've been having some issues with posts that have been created on the forum, especially from some of our younger members. I know we have a lot of new users, and I know all of you are very anxious to post about your favorite hobby. We want everyone to feel they can post as much as possible and let your comments, stories, opinions, trip reports, etc be heard. However... When posting to TPR please try to keep the following in mind as your account may be given a 24 hour ban if you flagrantly post any (or a combination) of the following: 1. Be Descriptive! Your topic title and your description should give some DETAILED information about what your topic is about! Chances are, more people will click on your topic and give you feedback. There are two lines for you to describe your topic. The first is the main title, the second is a descriptor. Topics with little to no description may be locked or deleted. 2. Use the "search" function. If you are posting about a news item or something of high importance ask yourself "could this possibly have been posted already?", like "Six Flags Astroworld is closing", chances are, it probably has. So do a search first. 3. SPELL CHECK YOUR POSTS!!!! There is a completely FREE spell checker available with the Google toolbar. A typo here and there is completely acceptable. We all are guilty of this. But when someone can't READ your post due to bad spelling, grammar, lack of capitalization, all caps (in posts OR thread titles) etc, that's a problem. If you aren't a good speller (and I totally admit I would be lost without my spellchecker) download it now: http://toolbar.google.com/ 4. Do NOT use "text message shorthand" - Use the proper English and complete spelling of words. Do not shorten "you" to "u", etc. You're not messaging on a cell phone, you're typing on a computer. You have a full sized keyboard in front of you - USE IT! (The most common uses like LOL, WTF, are ok....but none of this "l33tOMG111" whatever speak!) 5. Do not post for posting sake. What does this mean? If all you do is respond back to posts saying "Yeah, me too" or "I agree" or "Thanks!" you are not adding anything to the conversation. If you do this every once in a while, that's ok, but we have users here that seem like all they are doing is trying to post as much as possible to increase their post count. Well, there is no prize for having high post count, so please, only respond if you have something to add to the conversation. We have a way to edit your post count, and we will use it if we feel you are posting too much for no reason. 6. Don't be "annoying" - For example, if you see that the "fart thread" has been closed, for reasons like "This was funny for a day, and now it's just stupid" don't start ANOTHER "fart thread." In short, annoying members will end up being banned. 7. Check each forum for specific rules - If there are specific rules in each forum, they will be posted as a "sticky." Please read these for further instructions. For example, in the "Professional Amateur Videographer Forum", unless you are uploading a file, creating new topics is not allowed. 8. DO NOT RESPOND TO SPAM! - If you see SPAM on the boards, do NOT respond to it, do not link to it, do not do ANYTHING with it. The mods will delete it shortly. If you see a SPAM thread that has been up for an extended amount of time (more than two hours as an example), use the "report post" button to alert the moderators. DO NOT use the "report post" button for ANY OTHER REASON! If you respond to a spam thread, or use the report post button for any other reason, you may be given a temporary ban for 24 hours. Overall, we're not trying to be mean or strict, but the fact is that we now have over 6,000 registered members, and we need to keep the quality of the board at a high level. We don't delete, edit, or close posts very often, but we will have to if these simple rules are not followed. So let's review..... Theme Park Reviews Forum Posting Rules: 1. Be descriptive! 2. Use the search function. 3. Spell check your posts. 4. Do NOT use "text message shorthand." (Use proper English) 5. Do not post for posting sake. 6. Don't be "annoying." 7. Check each forum for specific rules 8. Do NOT respond to SPAM & only use the "report post" button to alert the mods of a spam thread. If everyone can follow these rules, it will make Theme Park Review a better place! Thanks again for all your support! --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Nicely said. I welcome all of our new users, but I agree that we need to try and maintain a certain level of quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster_type_of_person Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I hope i'm not one of those users. I don't want to get banned, I love this site. Great way to put it though. Now if everyone would follow them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Over 6000.... Wow. It was only a couple of weeks ago that we were counting down (up) to 5000!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hattuchili Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Good to see you have posted the rules again! I am glad that we have so many new members on the boards (Welcome guys)! But in the last days it was really conspicuous how many threads you have closed or corrected. However, you are right Robb, we need to keep the quality of the board at a high level! --Sören Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster05 Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 As a two year member of Theme Park Critic let me say how refreshing it is to see those rules. That great site has been slowly brought down by people who do one or all of the things you have mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 Yes, we have noticed it too. And as much as we hate to do it, we HAVE to do something about it. We don't like to close threads or edit posts, but we will it is required. And we WILL suspend someone's posting privileges if it keeps up. Thanks to everyone for their understanding! --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 :-\ Anyways, Robb, 1300 members this month alone? Holy s***! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenshinmac Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I'll try to be better about searching in the future... I've gotten into a bad habit about that because I mostly post on IGN's boards and the search on that is just completely useless. I mean it is to the point where you can type in the title of your thread and it will not find it... So I just forget that there are search functions that actually work. I'll definitely try to do better in future... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoGodForMe Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 You've just described the typical CFB user to the T. Now you know what I deal with in RRC. CFB users are tired of Jeff banning them, so they're over here now. I can see it, your board numbers are off the chart. Good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 ^ See, we wouldn't ban people for the same reason CFB does (nice nick!) While we "welcome" the younger readers (hey, we were all once one too!) we just want them to improve a little during their stay. It honestly takes a lot to get banned from here. And there have only been very few that just simply won't play nice or follow the rules (which are pretty simple IMO) and after several warnings we've had no choice. BTW, Rob, you should be pretty happy with some of our new POV's....no music, not much commentary, just straight POV with raw audio! --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiFan Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I think it's cool that the rules are in place. I hate going to other message boards (mostly video game related) and seeing people type like they are using AIM as well as having horrible spelling. I'll try to be better about searching in the future... I've gotten into a bad habit about that because I mostly post on IGN's boards and the search on that is just completely useless. I mean it is to the point where you can type in the title of your thread and it will not find it... So I just forget that there are search functions that actually work. I'll definitely try to do better in future... That is so true about IGN. I just look at the last few pages of posts and look for anything similar there to see if what I am going to post is a re-post or not because of how bad IGN's search is. It also doesn't help that you are only allowed to use the search on IGN if you are an Insider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I think we all can appreciate what Robb and Elissa have done by giving everyone such an awesome and free spirited forum. There is no other place I rather post than here, and my forum, but we all need to respect the rules. There not harsh rules. There very simple and to the point. I’m sure MANY of you have been or still are members on other amusement park sites. You’ll never see Robb or Elissa bash you for something you have posted and will not try to make you feel stupid in anyway like some other forums are run. A few jokes may be poked at you, but that’s about it. Respect the SIMPLE rules. Respect the people in the forum. And thank Robb and Elissa when you get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoGodForMe Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Thanks for the welcome Robb. I realize the videos are getting better. But I have to keep hammering away. There's still a long battle, because the show producers think that "3 seconds" is the longest shot that can happen. Yet, with a coaster video, the entire ride is acceptable. Many say that a full length POV will be boring. But if you make the coaster guy the play by play person, and have stats at the bottom of the screen, it will be perfect. The problem is coaster fans think a full length POV is boring. Not ture. Ignore the producer thing of 3 seconds, and think of the entire ride. Show the entire ride, and have the "coaster guy" voice doing the play by play. Have the narrator give stats, and put some graphics at the bottom of the screen showing speed and G-force. While all this is happening, you still have the sound of the coaster and all the riders in the back screaming, so you hear the coaster just as it would be. All you have to do, is tell everyone in the front seat not to cuss. My raw videos do this, but I don't have the play by play, or the stats on the screen. I shot all my videos raw as a statement to make POVs full length. It's catching on, but there's a long way to go. I need to go back and re-do all my videos, but that will take a ton of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 ^ I know we are also guilty of doing the "3 second clip" of the coaster in our "season" music videos. But listening to what everyone wants (and it's hard to please everyone!) we have really been making an effort to do our music videos (which Elissa and I really like doing a lot) AND raw POVs. If you've got some good ones link them or share them in the video forum! --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 Bumping this to the top because it's important that EVERYONE reads this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfBeastSucks Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Bumping this to the top because it's important that EVERYONE reads this! Why don't you just sticky this at the top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted January 30, 2006 Author Share Posted January 30, 2006 ^ It's part of the TOS thread so technically it's already stickied...and you can see how many people read that! I'll just bump it around until I feel enough people have read it. --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Just a belated "amen," and a thanks to the two of you (and all others involved, including the posters) in keeping the quality of this site so high. I recall going to SFGAdv sites before my trip there and being...well, appalled...by the stench of subliterate post-pubescent fanboy testosterone in the air. It's important to note that it's not just the young who can act like idiots, though: RRC was full of middle-aged men ably impersonating objectionable adolescents. While coastering isn't rocket science, it's nice to know that a place for intelligent, civilized theme park discourse exists. Kudoz 2 all of u! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Robb, I can't help the urge to want to pick the rules and regulations apart and make fun of them. Forgive me. It is in my nature. I am just upset that you have to consistently be refrencing them over and over for new members. If memory serves, (It's been awhile and I'm getting old.) all these things are explained in the member sign up page. I believe there are links to the rules and regulations on that page as well. It just seems to me that if people don't have the time to read that information. It is their own fault for getting kicked off the boards. You and Elissa work your asses off to keep this site one of the best in the business. It just makes it that much more difficult for you guys to have to play police, judge, jury, and executioner. It takes so much time away from you keeping this site awesome. You two have so much more patience than I do. Sorry, I just had to vent on your behalf. Welcome all you new members. I am Guy. I am evil! Evil I tell you! Guy " Spreadin' tha love. " Koepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterviper Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 ^ Guy you seriously need to keep your scizophrenia under control!!! I am glad and very appreciative that Robb, Elissa and the TPR assistance take the efforts to go through and weed out the riff raff and the annoying trouble makers in the forums!! If this was not done, the TPR forums would be one big mess of useless banter and chaos! Thank you once again Robb and everyone else that helps here to keep it clean!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 ^My paranoia is what keeps me alive. Besides, I realy appreciate R & E and the ASSistants for the great jobs they do. I just feel that if people would take the time to read the SOP. There would be more enjoyment for us all and less policeing for them. A little forethought goes a long way. Besides, I know that all those new people are realy just out to get me. Guy "Paranoia is one of my many good qualities." Koepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfBeastSucks Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Can you please add use proper English to the list? It is crazy how bad some people are with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phazan Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 ^ ya your right, but dont belive in capitalization. things like ,s and .s are really a must! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sound Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Can you please add use proper English to the list? It is crazy how bad some people are with it. No! Please No!!! Is the ocasional grammar mistake okay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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